


It's not that bad!

by EmmaSpencer



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Drug Use, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Gen, Greg helps, Greg to the rescue, M/M, Mycroft gets arrested, Mycroft is not good, Mycroft is safe, Physical Abuse, Sherlock is found, Sherlock's missing, Young Mycroft Holmes/Young Greg Lestrade, eventually
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-06
Updated: 2017-08-06
Packaged: 2018-12-11 22:06:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11723538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmmaSpencer/pseuds/EmmaSpencer
Summary: Mycroft gets arrested, where he meets Gregory. A few days later he returns to the station because Sherlock is missing. Greg offers to help, not only to find Sherlock, but to get Mycroft away from his abusive uncle.





	It's not that bad!

"It would be better for you if you'd talk." Mycroft remained silent. He was sitting in an interrogation room handcuffed; there was blood on his clothes and hands.  
"Son, tell us your name at least." Mycroft just kept staring at him coldly.  
"You can help yourself if you talk. We can have a deal; just tell us where did you get the cocaine. Who is your dealer?......How many years you'd like to spend in jail? You are young, think of your future." the questioning continued without success.  
"Have it your way." the officer walked out.  
"Who is going in now? Everybody stepped back.  
"What is it? Are you afraid of a kid?"  
"He's in his early 20's and he is terrifying. Those eyes! I'm pretty sure he's a murderer. I'm not touching him!"  
"Me neither." the others echoed.  
"Murderer? Idiots. He's just a bored kid with a habit."  
"I don't know he looks neither of that."  
"Shut up Greg...no wait! We have a volunteer." the boss smiled.  
Greg went in to the room.  
"Evening, my name is Greg Lestrade. I'm going to take a few photographs, your fingerprints, and I also need your shirt. I have another one for you in exchange." Mycroft looked him up and down. "I'm going to start now, okay?" Greg proceeded with the tasks.  
"Now I'm going to take off the handcuff so we can exchange shirts. I warn you not to try anything!" Mycroft did as he was told.  
"Thank you." Greg left him. "It's done and I'm still alive. See!"  
"Go back and try talking with him. He might respond to you."  
"He didn't talk to me when I was in."  
"Go!"  
"Yes Sir."  
Greg went back. "Hello again; I'd like you to tell me what happened?" still nothing "What is your name?" Greg kept asking questions, after an hour he gave up.  
"No good."  
"Close him in.” Greg went back. "Come on, we are finished for today. I'm going to put you in a cell for now. Don't worry; you'll be alone in it." Greg guided him out of the room.  
"Let him go!" Uncle Rudy was waiting for them.  
"What is this?" Greg asked with confusion.  
"He's free." he boss said with clear annoyance.  
"What?"  
"Let him go!"  
Mycroft and his uncle left.  
"What was that?"  
"Politician's son. Disgusting, they think that they can do anything, just because his daddy is somebody for a while."  
"How did he know that he was here? We didn't know his name, or anything."  
"I don't care. Stop talking about it, it makes my head hurt."

"Not a word!" Uncle Rudy said when they got into the car. They got home Mycroft stood in the office; he fell to the ground when his uncle slapped him.  
"Get up!" he got up, his nose was bleeding, his lip split. "What the hell were you thinking? You're an idiot; you made me look like an idiot. This is what I taught to you? Hmmm?" Mycroft didn't answer. "Have you thought of the consequences? The situation it will put me in? What would this mean to your future? You know what it'll do to your brain, you want to be like them; a goldfish? Mycroft Holmes answer me, now!" he hit him again. Mycroft just stared at him coldly. "You leave me no choice; I'm calling your mother."  
"No!"  
"No? You don't want that? Then talk!" Mycroft took a deep breath.  
"Sherlock."  
"You want to blame it on your little brother?"  
"You all think that Sherlock is a saint, he can do nothing wrong; not like me."  
"Are you finished with the whining?"  
"Mother thinks that he's here in London on a chemistry competition, his teacher thinks that he's home too sick to compete."  
"How do you know it?"  
"I saw him and followed him. He was buying cocaine from someone so I confronted him. I tried to persuade him to come home with me; he didn't want to, he was still high. I took the drug from him, he hit me, I lost consciousness and that's how they found me."  
"Fairy tale."  
"Believe whatever you like." Mycroft cried out when he was hit again.   
"You don't have the right to talk to me like this."  
"And what gave you the right to treat me like this?" Mycroft stepped back when his uncle shifted.  
"Shell I take you back? Do you want to be in jail?"  
"No." he whispered.  
"Thought so."  
"How did you find me?"  
"Your fingerprints, they alert me if it turns up. Go and take a shower, you have work in the morning."  
"And Sherlock?"  
"What about him?"  
"He's out there on his own! He..."  
"When is he supposed to get home?"  
"Friday."  
"So tomorrow. We wait if he's clever, he'll go home."  
"But..."  
"Shut up." his uncle opened the door. Mycroft took a shower then he went down to the kitchen for some ice, his face started to swell up. He went back to his room, it was two in the morning, but he couldn't fell asleep, he kept thinking and worrying about Sherlock also the pain didn't help.

The next morning he was sitting anxiously in the office; it was hard to concentrate properly on work.  
"Stop it."  
"What?"  
"He'll be fine. He was clever enough to arrange his little trip, he'll go home. Now get back to work."  
"Yes Sir." Mycroft hid his anxiety for the remainder of the day.  
"Come on Mycroft, time to go home."  
"I want to finish this."  
"No!"  
"But this is important."  
"You want to go out and look for him. I won't allow it.   
“But...”  
“Come!"  
"All right." he reluctantly followed him.

Friday came slowly; Mycroft calculated when they were supposed to get home and immediately called his mother.  
"Hello Mummy."  
"Hello dear."  
"Sherlock got home safe?"  
"Not yet."  
"Has he called?"  
"No, but you know him."  
"I do."  
"Is everything all right?"  
"Of course."  
"You don't sound fine."  
"I'm just tired. I have lot of work."  
"Look after yourself my dear. Dress up warm and eat properly."  
"Yes Mummy. Call me when he gets home."  
"I will, love you."  
"Me too."  
"You couldn't sit still."  
"He's not home yet."  
"He'll get home. Are you finished the report."  
"Yes..."  
They were home in the evening when the phone rang. Uncle Rudy was the first to get to it. Mycroft stood next to him, listening to his responses.  
"Sherlock?...No...Really. What did the teacher said?...Strange...I know nothing...Of course...Right away, don't worry. He'll turn up...Mycroft? Not here right now...I'm sorry...I'll do. Bye!"  
"He's still not home! I told you we should have looked for him. What if his dead? Or they kidnapped him, or...?"  
"He's ashamed to go home. Now he'll hide for a few days so when he turns up everybody will be happy about it. He's smart."  
"I am the smart one." Mycroft whispered.  
"You are an idiot. You should have known better to leave him alone. If you didn't interfere, he'd been home by now."

The next day after work Mycroft visited all the shelters and stations in the area he last saw Sherlock. He left the station he was held last.  
"How can I help you?" the clerk asked without looking up.  
"Missing person."  
"Lestrade!" she yelled. Greg appeared a few seconds later.  
"Oh...hello!  
"Hello!"  
"How may I help you?"  
"My brother is missing."  
"Come this way...ehhhm."  
"Mycroft; Mycroft Holmes."  
"Greg Lestrade."  
"I remember."  
"Please sit down. When was the last time you saw him?"  
"He has the nerve to come here and report his brother's disappearance, I'm sure he killed him." they hear the whispers behind them.  
"Please follow me." Greg guided him to a small kitchen. "I recon you'd like it better here than in an interrogation room. Sorry about them."  
"Thank you. His name is Sherlock, he's 16 and I last saw him Wednesday around eight in the evening."  
"Before you were found."  
"Yes."  
"Where?"  
"The place I was found. I have a picture."  
"Do you have any idea what was he doing there?"  
"No. He came to London to a chemistry competition, or I thought. I talked with the teacher; she said that he stayed home. Mummy doesn't know..." he stopped talking.  
"Anything else you can tell me?"  
"No. I brought back your shirt."  
"Oh, how kind of you."  
"Here are my phone numbers, the first is for the office, I'm there every day till evening and the second is my home number."  
"Thanks." Greg tore a piece of paper and wrote his number down. "And this is mine; if you need help with looking for him...I mean if you need someone to walk the streets with you. I know the area pretty well."  
"Thank you." Mycroft took it hesitantly.  
"What happened to you?" Greg changed the subject.  
"Nothing."  
"Secret fight club?"  
"I got them of Wednesday."  
"Nope, I photographed you. These are new." he pointed at Mycroft's face.  
"It's nothing." Greg just sat in silence looking at him softly. "My uncle." he whispered finally. "I deserved it. He had to come here and use his name to get me out of the mess I put myself in."  
"You can't be serious. What about the others? I saw more...worse, when you changed." Mycroft remained silent, but Greg didn't give up the staring.  
"Don't look at me like that! I'm young and I tend to forget what is important. So he needs to step in to get me back on track. It's not that bad." Greg looked at him with disbelief.  
"How old are you?"  
"23." Mycroft stood up. "Thank you for your help. Good evening Gregory."  
"Good evening Mycroft." he left, but Greg hurried after him. "How free are you?"  
"I beg your pardon!"  
"I have the day off tomorrow, I know all of the places they hang out."  
"They?"  
"Junkies." Greg said in a low voice.  
"He's not!" Mycroft stepped closer.  
"Mycroft, it's pretty clear what happened on Wednesday. You found him buying drug, you took it from him and wanted to take him home. He resisted, you fought and he's missing. Why didn't you report it earlier?"  
"My uncle said that he'll go home. He was supposed to get home on Friday from the competition. He said Sherlock will go home, to keep up his cover story. I wanted to go and look for him...you have to believe me...I wanted to."  
"I believe you. So are you up for it?"  
"I would like to, but..."  
"Don't tell me you're not allowed to leave the house, because if that's the case I'm..."  
"I can leave the house. I have to finish in the office at first; I think I'll be free around five."  
"Fine with me; I check a few places in the morning. They are safer during daylight. I'll meet you here at five." 

Mycroft got to the office early in the morning so he can finish in time.  
"Where are you going?" his uncle stepped behind his back.  
"To look for him."  
"Useless, you'll never find him like this."  
"I have to try."  
"Only if you finished with everything."  
"I did."  
Mycroft got to the station little after five.  
"I'm sorry I'm late."  
"You're not."  
"I' am; reset your clock Gregory!" he snapped "I'm sorry." he apologised immediately.  
"Are you all right?"  
"My brother is out in the city on his own, most likely high...so no. I'm not."  
"Sorry. I checked the places as I promised, I showed the picture around, but no one saw him."  
"I called and sent the picture to the hospitals and morgues; I also alerted all the stations. I divided London into areas according to the likelihood my brother being there."  
"When did you have time for that?"  
"I couldn't sleep."  
"We should start with that. It's close and relatively safe. I look through the rougher ones during my days off."  
"Why are you helping me?"  
"I know that no one would work the case, not really. I thought I can help; you won't be able to find him on your own. I know that two is not that much either but we have more chances together."  
"Thank you. We should go."

Mycroft and Greg walked the city for a week whenever they could without any result.  
Greg met Mycroft one afternoon; he was sitting on a bench with a defeated look.  
"Hello Mycroft, I can go alone today."  
"Why would you?"  
"You are exhausted, you need to sleep."  
"I have to find him." Mycroft stood up. "Coming?"  
"Where now?"  
"I don't have much time, so we should check the libraries in the area."  
"Libraries? I have work at six too."  
"Sherlock loves to read."  
"Mycroft..." Greg said wearily.  
"You don't have to come."  
"I'm not leaving you alone. Let's go."  
There was only two in the area. They didn't have luck with the first one and the second was closed.  
"We should go in."  
"It's closed for the month, renovation." Mycroft walked around the building, Greg followed him hesitantly. "Mycroft, you can't do this. I can't let you do this!" Mycroft opened a door. "Mycroft! I'm a police officer I can't take part in a break in."  
"Then stay." Greg turned to leave and then walked after him with a deep sigh.  
"Hello officer."  
"Shut up, I just want to make sure that you're not ambushed by a hiding librarian. Look!" Greg pointed to the gallery. Mycroft run up, it was clear for him that someone slept there.  
"It's his coat, Sherlock was here!"  
"He might come back." Greg said hopefully. "Mycroft! Mycroft where are you going?" he was already downstairs.   
"I know where he gets food, he might be there."  
"Where? Shell I go with you?"  
"No, you stay; he might come back." Mycroft run out. He was out of breath when he got to the place. He took out the wrinkled photo and started to ask people frantically.  
"Why are you looking for him? He done nothing wrong." someone spoke behind him. "Where is he?"  
"Why would I tell you?"  
"Would you like to carry on with your miserable life?" the woman walked away, Mycroft hurried after her. "No, no, I'm sorry, please tell me! He's my little brother. He's just 16. Please." Mycroft pleaded, but she didn't answer. He collapsed to a bench, trying to hold back the tears.  
"Do you have fire?" someone sat next to him  
"Sorry."  
"What's the matter?"  
"I lost my brother."  
"Do you have money?" Mycroft looked up.  
"Why?"  
"I know someone who can help. One look and he'll tell you everything about anything. Creepy ain't it?"  
"Sounds unrealistic."  
"Hey he knew my life's story just by looking at me. Between me and you he could say anything, I don't really remember much." he laughed.  
"Can you take me to him?"  
"To whom?"  
"The all seeing person."  
"Do you have money?"  
"Yes, I can pay you both."  
"Cool. Come this way." he took Mycroft to an abandoned building, the place was quite creepy, he faintly remembered that Gregory said something about it. Mycroft was scared but hopeful and impatient too.  
"Hey Sher I found another one." Mycroft was suddenly surrounded by young people.  
"Let's see him." the crowd parted and Sherlock walked to the middle of the circle. "Oh..." Mycroft remained silent. "My." he whispered.  
"What was that?" someone asked next to him.  
"I said he's mine!" Sherlock grabbed Mycroft's arm and dragged him out.  
"Are you out of your mind My? Coming here on your own?" he continued to drag him farther away. "You could get yourself killed!" Sherlock stopped when they got back to the park.   
"Sherlock...Sherlock..." Mycroft looked him up and down.  
"What?"  
"Why did you do this? I was worried sick! Do you have any idea..."  
"My please stop....my wrist." Mycroft was clutching his wrist.  
"No! Almost two weeks Sherlock! I've been looking for you..."  
"And you couldn't find me. Who is the smart one?"  
"Please don't. You come home with me now!"  
"Why would I? I'm fine here."  
"You can't be serious. Robbing people, buying drug, sleeping in a...in that! You can get yourself killed; they'll sell your organs, or kidnap you to be a sex slave. If not, then you'll kill yourself with the drugs, or you catch something or..."  
"My..."  
"Your little group would turn on you without a second thought! You can't trust them. You're coming home." Mycroft started to drag him.  
"I'm not. I don't want to go back, there's nothing for me. I have to stay home with mummy listening to her idiotic blabbing; I have to go back to school where even the teachers are morons. I'm closed away with them in the middle of nothing! I’m bored...nothing ever happens there!"  
"You go home, finish high school; you could have finished it ages ago if you'd wanted to and when you go to uni we'll move together."  
"With uncle Rudy and you how fun."  
"NO! Only the two if us, far away from him." his hold tightened on his wrist.  
"What is it My?"  
"Come on Sherlock it's getting late." Sherlock followed him reluctantly.  
"Where now?" Sherlock asked when they got to the car. There was a note stuck under the windshield cleaner, Mycroft read it before answering.  
"To the hospital."  
"Whatever for?" Sherlock didn't want to get into the car.   
"To make sure that you are healthy. Please."  
"I'm not an addict! I'm a user, I can say no to it. I haven't had anything in a week, I could have."  
"I'm glad, please get into the car."

Until the doctors checked Sherlock, Mycroft called Greg.  
"Lestrade!"  
"I found him Gregory."  
"Where?"  
"Abandoned building behind the park nearby."  
"Good Lord Mycroft. I told you not to go there alone, you're lucky you got out of there in one piece."  
"He's safe."  
"I'm glad. I'm sorry I had to leave to work."  
"It's okay. Thank you for your help."  
"Call me later."  
"Why?"  
"To tell me how's he, and to talk...maybe."  
"I'd like that."  
"Also if you need help with...with anything else just call."  
"Thank you."  
He went to Sherlock's room.  
"What should we tell Mummy?"  
"I don't know. You are the smart one." Sherlock yawned.  
"You arranged this little trip; you must had a plan to get home."  
"Nope, I planned to leave for good."  
"We tell her...we tell her that you run away because you had enough of the bullying in school...you met other young people and they persuaded you to stay with them. You are young, easy to influence, but you realised that it wasn't right and you came back to me."  
"Okay."  
"I call her."  
"Wait, what's wrong My?"  
"I'm tired; I couldn't sleep knowing that you were out there."  
"There's something else."  
"It's nothing."  
"Why do you let him do this to you?"  
"I have no other choice."  
"My..."  
"I call Mummy, you sleep now." he cut him off.  
Mycroft went to the corridor to call her.  
"Mummy Sherlock came back, he's fine."  
"He is! Can I talk to him?"  
"He's sleeping now."  
"Are you home?"  
"No I took him to the hospital to make sure that he's fine."  
"Did he tell you why?"  
"He couldn't bare the torment he got in school every day."  
"He never mentioned it to me! Where was he?"  
"Out in the streets with a group."  
"Did they hurt him?"  
"No, they took him in."  
"Oh my dear boy. When can he come home?"  
"About three days, they want to observe him."  
"Look after him. Tell him that we love him."  
"I will. Goodnight mummy."  
"Goodnight dear."

 

Greg finished his night shift and arrived to his flat to found Mycroft sitting in front of the door.  
"Mycroft?" he looked up with fear.  
"I didn't know where else to go." he whispered.  
Greg opened the door. "Come on in."  
"Stop right there!" uncle Rudy appeared on the end of the corridor.  
"Mycroft go in, now!" Greg whispered to him, but Mycroft was frozen from fear.  
"He's staying here." Greg turned to him.  
"Is he? We'll see. Mycroft come here!" he didn't move.  
"Come here now!" Greg stepped between them. "Don't make me say it again, Mycroft!"  
"See he doesn't want to go."  
"Would you stay if I'd tell you that I can't guarantee Sherlock's safety? Come home and I'll continue to look after him."  
"Because you did such a great job with it this time." Greg cut him off.  
"Any of you want to work in the future? Because if so you shut up; and Mycroft comes home." he stepped closer "NOW!" Mycroft stepped back, he ended in the hall.  
"No, I won't...no!"  
"No? Even if...?"  
"NO! Leave me alone!"  
"Have it your way." Uncle Rudy walked away. Greg went in and quickly closed the door behind him. Mycroft was sitting on the floor; Greg knelt in front of him.  
"Mycroft what happened?"  
"I stayed with Sherlock all night long. I got home around 5, I thought he was sleeping, but he was waiting for me...I'm an idiot!"  
"No, no..."  
"I am! I should have gone with him! Sherlock...he can protect him. I can't, I'm just a nobody. What have I done? What have I done?" he stood up and tried to open the door.  
"No, please. I have to go home, now! I have to." Greg stood up and cupped Mycroft's face so he can't look away.  
"I'm so proud of you." Mycroft fell silent. "I am, Mycroft. You are safe now, you got away from him, you said no to him. I'm here to help you, in whatever you need. You can stay here as long as you need or like, I promise. I'm going to help you Mycroft." Mycroft started to cry, he buried his face to Greg's shir, finally he calmed down.  
"I think we need tea." Greg put the kettle on and left to collect a towel and pyjama for Mycroft.  
"Tea?" Mycroft shook his head. "All right. Here are some clean clothes and a towel if you'd like to take a shower."  
"Thank you." Mycroft stood up.  
"Wait, before you go I want to see how bad it is."  
"It's not that bad."  
"Mycroft!" he kept looking at him, Mycroft took off his shirt with a sigh.  
"What's that he pointed to his stomach?"  
"He twisted my arm behind my back and pushed me to the table." Greg turned him to see his back.  
"This?"   
"He extinguished his cigar on my arm."  
"And these are from a belt." he gently pointed at the marks on his back  
"Yes. You see, it's not that bad." Greg tried to hide his horrified look.  
"The bathroom is through there, you can find everything in it. I bandage this for you after that."  
"Thank you."   
Mycroft came out of the bathroom and Greg cleaned his wounds.  
"So, the plan for today is that you go to bed and sleep."  
"But..."  
"No buts, I'll only sleep a few hours so the sofa is fine for me. I have to cook and do the laundry, but this way I won't disturb you. Also I thought you'd feel safer in the room than out here." he showed Mycroft to the bedroom. "Sleep tight."  
Greg slept a few hours; he opened his eyes and sat up immediately when he was met by Mycroft's blue eyes. "Jesus! Don't do this!"  
"I'm sorry."  
"It's okay, couldn't sleep?" he shook his head.  
"I'm sorry."  
"What for?"  
"For coming here."  
"I'm glad you came, Mycroft."  
"I don't know anybody else, it's a two hours drive to my parents, I have no friends... How would I, I started uni when I was 16. I wasn't allowed to stay out, not even on the afternoons, not even to study in the library with my classmates...I had one friend, but..." Mycroft trailed off.  
"It's not a problem for me Mycroft, not at all. I told you I'll help. We should eat something." Mycroft watched Greg as he moved around the flat and later started to cook. At one point he stepped to Greg and took the knife out of his hand.  
"Mycroft!" Greg said warningly.  
"I'm sorry Gregory. I just couldn't watch it anymore."  
"What?"  
"You cutting the onion."  
"What?" Greg asked with even more confusion.  
"Let me show you." they continued to cook together. After lunch Mycroft settled on the sofa to read.  
"Sherlock! Oh my god, how could I be so selfish!" Mycroft dropped the book.  
"Mycroft..."  
"We have to go and look for him!"  
"Mycroft he's in the hospital."  
"No, we looked for him there; we've been in all of it! They have his picture, they'd call me. Oh! They couldn't, I'm not in the office or home! We have to..."  
"Mycroft..." Greg tried to stop him.  
"I'm an idiot." Greg pulled him up from the sofa and dragged him to his room. "I'm not going to sleep Gregory. I have to look for him."  
"I know, but not in a pyjama. I'll look for some clothes for you." Greg pushed him to the bed. Mycroft stood up and followed Greg to the wardrobe. Greg pushed him back and stuck a pillow into his hands. "Hold onto this for me."  
"Why?"  
"Because...because I wanted to take it out for myself, but I forgot, but this way I won't." Mycroft remained seated. "Stay here." Greg walked out, by the time he came back Mycroft was sleeping. "As I hoped." he whispered and covered him with a blanket.   
Greg set out to look for Mycroft's parents; he managed to get the number from the hospital.  
"Hello!"  
"Afternoon am I talking to Mycroft Holmes's mother?"  
"Yes."  
"My name is Greg Lestrade, a friend of Mycroft's."  
"Is he all right?"  
"Not entirely."  
"What happened?"  
"Do you know that he is abused by his uncle?"  
"Pardon?"  
"Yesterday he came to me beaten up."  
"No...I...he never told me a thing. Is this for real?"  
"Yes, I'm a policemen, I saw victims before."  
"Oh my god. Why wouldn't he tell it to us?"  
"He was intimidated."  
"Can I talk to him?"  
"He's finally sleeping. He hasn't slept in weeks. I think you should take him home, he'll feel safer away from him."  
"We're picking up Sherlock the day after tomorrow..." Greg gave her his address.  
The next day he woke again to Mycroft staring at him still clutching the pillow.  
"I asked you not to do this."  
"You tricked me."  
"I had to, you were quite confused."  
"Sorry."  
"I have to go to work today. I'll be home after six."  
"No, don't leave me alone. Please! He'll know and come for me. I won't be able to say no to him, not on my own. I don't want to go back to him...NO!"  
"Mycroft calm down, please. Let me think." Greg got up and made breakfast, they were sitting at the table.  
"All right, you come with me to the station, I have no better idea."  
"Okay." he whispered.   
They got through the day without an incident.  
"Mycroft..." Greg started cautiously when they got home. "I talked with your mother."  
"You did what?" he asked with horror.  
"They are taking you home tomorrow."  
"But, you said..."  
"Mycroft I think you'll feel safer home. You clearly don't feel safe here. You can't sleep; I can't leave you on your own. However useful you were today, I can't take you with me every day."  
"They won't believe me, they won't. No one will, he said it and he's right, he always is! They'll say that I did it to myself. I didn't, but they'll say it and you'll believe them. He'll say that I'm not taking the meds again, and that's why I talk nonsense. I'm not mad, but he had a record made up so he can use it if necessary. But that's not real, it's NOT! I didn't break my ribs and my hand, I didn't burn holes to my back, I didn't..." Greg silenced him with a kiss, Mycroft kissed back. They parted for air but immediately joined back together; Greg pushed Mycroft to the sofa. Mycroft's hands were tangled in Greg's hair, then he moved them to his chest and started to unbutton his shirt. "Mycroft..." Greg started but he was silenced by another long kiss. "Mycroft!" Greg sat back. "We shouldn't."  
"Don't you want me?"  
"I do, but..."  
"You have someone."  
"No."  
"Then what? You kissed me."  
"I know and I'm sorry for that. I shouldn't have done it. I don't know why I did it. From the first time I saw you...I wanted to get to know you and I did...I mean started to. I'm sorry I'm just blabbing...Sorry. You are in a vulnerable state right now; I don't want to exploit the situation. I don't want you or either of us to regret it later. I don't want you to think of me like; that's the man who jumped on me when I was on my lowest. I don't want you to regret it...Do you understand what I want to say." Mycroft nodded. "Later when you're better, we can get back to talk about this; only if you want it too, of course...I'm sorry Mycroft, I shouldn't have done this......I'm so sorry."  
"I'm sorry too." his tears started to fell. "I'm sorry Gregory. I'm an idiot, he's right..." Mycroft leaned to Greg who wrapped his arms around him. "No, no you're not Mycroft. It's just a hard time for you, but you'll be fine. You spent so much time living in fear, but it's over; you are free. You'll be fine, they'll believe you. He won't be able to hurt you, not anymore. You'll get better and stronger, you will be fine...I know you will...I’m here for you, I’ll make sure they believe you. I promise...I promise Mycroft."

The next day Greg didn't wake to Mycroft staring at him. He didn't see him for hours, so Greg finally decided to wake him.  
"Mycroft, you should get up, your parents can be here in any minute." he got up without a word. "Breakfast?"  
"No thank you. I don't feel well."  
"Tea?" he shook his head. "Okay."  
"Can you give me a pull over?"  
"Are you cold?"  
"I don't want mummy to see them." he held his arms out.  
"That's exactly what I want. She has to see it."  
"No, no. I don't want that. I don't want to see them!"  
"Mycroft..."  
"Why can't you understand? I hate it, I look disgusting, I don't want to...I don't...She won't care about them, she'll say I did it. I hate it...You promised you'll help. You promised......I shouldn't have come here!"  
"Mycroft please listen to me!" Greg yelled; Mycroft fell silent and stepped back he was shaking from fright. "I'm sorry Mycroft, I do, but you wouldn't listen to me otherwise. I'm not going to do anything to you, I promise. I thought she should see it, to know how bad it is in reality, because you make it look like nothing. I know I shouldn't interfere, I only try to help. If you want a pullover I gave you one or you cover yourself with a blanket until she gets here. But she must see it." Greg left and offered both of the items to Mycroft. He took the blanket and curled up on the sofa. Greg sat next to him and gently stroked his hair. Mycroft tensed up when the bell rang.  
"It's okay Mycroft, don't worry. It'll be all right." Greg left to open the door.  
"Mrs. Holmes."  
"Mr. Lestrade."  
"Greg please. Come in." they got back to the living room, Mycroft sat up and wrapped the blanket tighter around himself.  
"Mycroft, dear..."  
"Where is Sherlock?"  
"In the car with your father."  
"Is he fine?"  
"He is, don't worry." she sat next to him. "How long?"  
"Since I started university."  
"That long! Why didn't you tell me? You should have told us!"  
"You wouldn't believe me."  
"Why do you think that?"  
"He said it."  
"And just because of that you believed it."  
"Not just that, you never cared about me."  
"Mycroft why do you say that? We do care about you, I love you, we love you."   
"You had to give up your career because of me. You had to take me out of school because I couldn't fit it. Then Sherlock was born and I had to go back to school. It was horrible, I was constantly tormented, but I couldn't tell it to you; I tried but no one would listen, no one cared. You had enough problems with Sherlock and later with Euros; dad was working all day long......I hoped it will be different...He didn't let me to have friends, or a life. I had to work for him day and night, I had no other choice. If I did something he didn't like he beat me, or burned me or starved me. In the beginning he closed me to my room so I won't run away. After a while he didn't have to, because I would stay no matter what he did to me...See you look at me with disbelief. I'M NOT LYING!" Mycroft stood up and took off his shirt. "Look!" he held out his arms to her, so she could see the burn marks on his arms, the remained of the last beatings was still clearly visible on his body. His mother stood up and stepped closer to see more scars and the marks from the belt on his back. Mycroft turned and looked at her; she stared back with a mortified look. "I'm not lying." he whispered.  
"I believe you my dear, I would have believed you...I'm so sorry Mycroft this is my fault. I shouldn't have force you to move to him. We should have moved up as we first planned. I'm sorry my dear." Mycroft sunk to the sofa and put on the shirt.  
"You don't think that I did this to myself?"  
"No! Not at all, how could I?" Mycroft kept looking at her and Gregory with confusion.  
"She believes me." he whispered to Greg.  
"I told you so."  
"She does!" he said with relief and his tears started to fell. His mother hugged him and stroked his back reassuringly. "I do Mycroft, I do." she waited till he calmed down. "Let's go home dear." Greg walked down with them to the car.   
"Goodbye Mycroft. Call me or visit when you get better."  
"I'll do." he stepped to Greg and hugged him. "Thank you Gregory, thank you for everything."


End file.
